PinnedMember-onlyWhy You Should Never Interview AnyoneWhy You Should Never Interview Anyone Reviving the lost art of conversation Once upon a time, I interviewed people. I interviewed politicians, heads of state, religious leaders, and ordinary people, too. I interviewed Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistani Prime Minister, who was later assassinated. I interviewed Jimmy Carter. I interviewed Taliban…Journalism4 min readJournalism4 min read
May 18Member-onlyWhat My Book Adaptation Taught Me About HollywoodSometimes There are Happy Endings I consider myself lucky. My book, The Geography of Bliss, made the leap from page to screen, and is now airing on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. It wasn’t easy. The road was long and winding, replete with speed bumps, potholes and the occasional pile-up. But…Travel3 min readTravel3 min read
Aug 30, 2022Member-onlyWhy I Ditched My SmartwatchWhy I Ditched My Smartwatch When less is more It was my dream watch. Or so I thought. It could do everything: track my steps, calories, sleep and intensity minutes. It monitored my stress levels, blood oxygen saturation, and even my “body battery,” an estimate of how much juice remained…Technology3 min readTechnology3 min read
Aug 29, 2022Member-onlyWhy Coffee Shops Spark CreativityWhy Coffee Shops Spark Creativity No, it’s not the caffeine I love coffee, but I love coffee shops even more. I cherish that sublime feeling of firing up my laptop at my favorite haunt, sipping dark roast, surrounded by fellow humans. The coffee shop is where adults engage in parallel…Creativity3 min readCreativity3 min read
Aug 22, 2022Member-onlyNo, You Don’t “Travel Like a Local”No, You Don’t “Travel Like a Local” And that’s okay When we travel, we expand ourselves not by turning inward but by looking outward, interacting with other people. Do we see only differences — language, cuisine, customs — or do we also identify commonalities, a shared humanity? This is empathy…Travel2 min readTravel2 min read
Jun 29, 2022Member-onlyThe 19th-Century Philosopher Who Predicted Data OverloadWhen it comes to information, more is not always better — Ours is a noisy time, but it is not only acoustic noise that is worrisome. A more treacherous clamor is mental noise: the flood of images and information — some useful, most not — that bombards us incessantly. The decibel levels for mental noise are off the chart. The magnitude…Self Improvement4 min readSelf Improvement4 min read
Jun 16, 2022Member-onlyFive Questions to Ask of Any New Technology“Because we can” is not an adequate reason to pursue a new technology. Nor is “because it is new.” — “You can’t stop progress” surely ranks as one of the most dangerous myths of our time. So deeply ingrained is this reflexive passivity that we rarely stop to question it. The result: we give new technology a pass. …Technology5 min readTechnology5 min read
Jun 13, 2022Member-onlyAmerica’s First Abortion WarsOur founders were just as divided as we are — The heated debate over abortion is nothing new. It is, in fact, older than the United States. I’ve spent the past several weeks trying to make sense of the history of abortion in Colonial America. My conclusion: it is a muddled mess, replete with half-truths, exaggerated claims, cherry-picking of facts…Abortion4 min readAbortion4 min read
Jun 9, 2022Member-onlyAre You Well-Traveled?Or do you travel well? — I thought I was well traveled. Then I met Riza. She is well into a years-long quest to visit all of the world’s 193 nations (as recognized by the U.N.) I admire her pluck and tenacity, traveling (safely) even during the pandemic and visiting countries not on the typical tourist’s…Traveling4 min readTraveling4 min read
May 31, 2022Member-onlyAgainst NoiseWhat all the racket is about — When it comes to noise, there are two types of people. The first type views noise as a minor annoyance, like a lone mosquito on a summer day or a misplaced glove on a cold one. …Noise4 min readNoise4 min read
